Letter to the Editor from Jefferson, GA

Published: April 13, 2006

To the Editor:

I do not appreciate the archdiocesan article telling Catholics to contact their legislators to support Senate Bill 1033. When will the Catholic Church learn to stay out of politics? Have we not lost enough Catholics in the past 20 years? I myself am seriously considering leaving the Catholic Church after more than 50 years of faithful attendance and support. Perhaps it makes you proud to see thousands of Spanish people parading down the streets of America waving the flag of Mexico; however I do not share your enthusiasm. These people have broken the law by entering this country illegally; they take our money and pay no taxes. They flood our schools with children who cannot speak English dragging down our academic standards and test scores. They utilize our medical system for free. They displace Americans from their jobs and they have no interest in becoming Americans.

A great many of these people do not speak English … and have no incentive to learn. Our pastor and several other Catholic churches in and around Atlanta preach a united Christian community, yet they have separate Masses in Spanish, separate fundraisers, separate breakfasts and events. At Christmas the Mass was said in English and Spanish. Why would these people want to learn the language when we make it so easy for them not to? Why would they assimilate into our society when we work so hard to recognize theirs? What we have in America is a culture in a culture and the Catholic Church is quite happy with it. I am not. I am a veteran who fought for this country and buried several of my friends who were not so lucky. … It pains me to see our bishop and his personal newspaper falling in step with a left-wing political amnesty program. …

Gustave A. Backelant, Jefferson